• As coronavirus spreads, Coasterians are coming to terms with behavioural change
• While hygiene has been boosted, reduced socialising is a bitter pill to swallow
It is so surprising how the coronavirus pandemic has changed the lifestyles of people globally.
It has brought changes in business, socialising, interactions and hygiene. Even after we get through the pandemic, things will never be the same again.
Coast Association of People with Disabilities coordinator Hamisa Zaja explains some of the lifestyles that have changed the most in the Coast region, where she is a resident.
POSITIVES
The coronavirus has brought families together globally. This is through lockdown in different countries and stay-at-home directives to curb its spread from one place to another.
Zaja said it was initially quite hard to see a family with a husband, wife and their children together except on December holidays, but the situation has made it possible.
"This is a time which all those people who could not have the time to be in their homes, are in their homes," she said, adding there is now room to build that family love and bonding.
Hygiene has been improved as people have become cautious about the hands' cleanliness as it is now very important to wash hands every single time.
"What has changed our life for the better is washing our hands. We have to wash them thoroughly and in a specific way," Zaja said.
Hygiene has also been put into consideration when entering one's house. You are required to take a shower before you get into contact with your family to ensure you protect them to your level best.
You are required to tell a guest to remove his belongings, take a shower, wash their hands… According to the culture we grew up with, that is completely an insult, but in such a situation, it is necessaryCAPD coordinator Hamisa Zaja
NEGATIVES
The negatives, however, seem to outweigh the positives. Zaja said, the virus has completely destroyed the coastal culture.
This is a culture of showing generosity through a shake of hands, hugging and kissing to show love.
For example, the coastal way of welcoming guests is with a lot of warmth. But with the current situation, that hospitality has been broken.
People have become more cautious about the guests they receive. It has reached a point where, when a guest comes to your house, you tell them to clean up before sitting and relaxing.
"You are required to tell a guest to remove his belongings, take a shower, wash their hands… A lot of instructions. According to the culture we grew up with, that is completely an insult, but in such a situation, it is necessary," Zaja said.
For those who do not understand, they will take the behaviour negatively and in a very bad way and will start to say it is unacceptable.
Mosques used to be full to the brim on Fridays and churches used to be packed on Sundays. They are now empty.
Those found by the authorities in the religious houses face a thorough beating, so people just opt to stay away.
While some understand the meaning of staying away from religious houses, others think it is inconsiderate, bearing in mind it is a challenging time that requires solidarity and praying for the world.
"Many a time, you would tell kids to go to church on a Sunday, or if it is time for prayers for the Muslim community, they should go to the mosques. But people are unable to go to these religious places," Zaja said, adding that many are left to pray individually at home.
Business has gone down. Everybody is complaining that sales have dropped, from that Mama Mboga we used to see with her kibanda full, to that Mama Viazi who used to have clients full to the brim in the evenings, to retail shops and wholesale ones.
Many have decided to give their small businesses a break until the nightmare is over, simply because they are required to stay at home and their businesses require them to be outside, getting into contact with different people.
"We women mostly depend on small businesses, for example. Many a time, we travel to different places to maybe get clothes, jewellery, food. Most of this is from China, so small boutiques have closed because the situation has destroyed the means to travel so one can get the stock she used to get abroad," Zaja said.
I have been forced to do many of my sensitisations online, and not many will be reached by this. So it has really affected a lot of my activitiesZainab Chitsangi
SOCIAL DISTANCING
Zainab Chitsangi is the CEO of an eponymous foundation, whose work requires her to meet with people and share ideas on the development of different communities and youths.
Her foundation's purpose is to educate and sensitise the community and the youth and to help grow youths' talent in communities, while they join forces with stakeholder organisations to help build up the community.
"We have been forced to stay at home in such a way that even if you have an idea, you cannot pass it on because of this pandemic," Chitsangi said.
She says she had arranged many projects which she knew she would complete at a specific time, but that will not be possible since she had to postpone the projects to be implemented and finished at a later unknown date.
She has no option but to do some of her projects online, which she describes as a big challenge since it sometimes does not reach all her targeted audiences.
"In many of my plans and sensitisations, I have been forced to do them online, and not many will be reached by this. So to me, it has really affected a lot of my activities," she said.
She hopes all this will end so that many activities can go back to normal.
Edited by T Jalio